I can find no evidence that B. J. Benfield was actually trained as an architect. In fact Benfield (or Benefield, as his name was usually spelled in the Film Daily Yearbook) was the owner of the Morris Theatre, and had previously owned the Strand and Orpheum Theatres in Morris as well as several theaters in other small Minnesota towns. It’s quite possible that he designed the Morris Theatre, as exhibitors did occasionally design theaters for themselves, but he probably had to have hired a licensed architect or engineer to draw up the plans.

The Morris Theatre (please note correct spelling) has a new web page which can be found at: http://www.morristheatre.net where you can read about all the latest developments and progress on renovation as it comes under new ownership.